Rifleman
Acanthisitta chloris
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Cordats)
- ClassAves (Aus)
- OrderPasseriformes
- FamilyAcanthisittidae (New Zealand Wrens)
- GenusAcanthisitta (Rifleman)
- SpeciesAcanthisitta chloris (Rifleman)
The rifleman (Acanthisitta chloris) (Māori: titipounamu or tītitipounamu) is a small insectivorous passerine bird that is endemic to New Zealand. It belongs to the family Acanthisittidae, also known as the New Zealand wrens, of which it is one of only two surviving species. The rifleman resembles a wren in form, but is not related to the family of true wrens, Troglodytidae, nor the fairy-wrens of Australia. Wikipedia →
60–70% of wildlife watchers report a Rifleman sighting in Arthur's Pass National Park, based on 284 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
Closest Relatives at Arthur's Pass National Park
South Island Wren
Xenicus gilviventris
New Zealand Bellbird
Anthornis melanura
Miromiro
Petroica macrocephala
Chaffinch
Fringilla coelebs
Grey Warbler
Gerygone igata
Eurasian Blackbird
Turdus merula
South Island Robin
Petroica australis
New Zealand Fantail
Rhipidura fuliginosa
Silvereye
Zosterops lateralis
Song Thrush
Turdus philomelos
Common Redpoll
Acanthis flammea
Welcome Swallow
Hirundo neoxena
📅 Monthly Probability
☀️ When They're Spotted
Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arthur's Pass National Park | 🇳🇿 New Zealand | |
| 2 | Aoraki Mount Cook National Park | 🇳🇿 New Zealand | |
| 3 | Rakiura National Park | 🇳🇿 New Zealand | |
| 4 | Tongariro National Park | 🇳🇿 New Zealand | |
| 5 | Fiordland National Park | 🇳🇿 New Zealand | |
| 6 | Abel Tasman National Park | 🇳🇿 New Zealand |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Rifleman in Arthur's Pass National Park?
About 60% of wildlife watchers report a Rifleman sighting in Arthur's Pass National Park, based on 284 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Rifleman in Arthur's Pass National Park?
March has the highest sighting rate for Rifleman in Arthur's Pass National Park in our monthly data.